Congratulations to the PCJH Athlete of the Week, Dillon Stephens!
Dillon, an 8th grader, was nominated by Coach Haab, who wrote, "Dillon, from day one, has been the foundation of our team. He has proven to be a leader on the court and in practice. He pushes himself and his teammates to become better and leads by example. His ability to take instruction and constructive criticism and make the changes without question allows him to be extremely coachable. His hard work and dedication to the game is unmatched and doesn't go unnoticed. Dillon leads our team in scoring and steals. I look forward to watching him grow and excel in high school sports." Dillon is also involved in baseball and FFA.
Congratulations to the PCJH Student of the Week, Nolan Schramm!
Nolan, a 7th grader, was nominated by Mrs. Harms, who wrote, "Nolan Schramm is a fun-loving student who would happily share insights about anything from chess, to Block Blast, to Bluey, to Dinosaurs. His love of history and dinosaurs has inspired him to become a paleontologist one day. A baritone player, Nolan is an integral member of the PCJH concert and pep bands. He also sings in the choir and serves on the yearbook committee.
Having Nolan in class is truly a blessing. He has the most caring and positive personality. There isn't a day that goes by that Nolan isn't there for his peers, ready with a hug or an encouraging word. After a recent loss, Nolan took it upon himself to present a totem project. This was not something required of him, but he volunteered. His strength of character and faith truly shone through during his presentation. We all appreciated the effort it took to share personal stories about time spent with his family and the challenges that have molded him into who he is today."
Please take the time to view the letter that I sent out to parents and staff via email on some updates on the Junior High facility. We appreciate everyone's flexibility and patience as we deal with the circumstances that are apparent now and for the unknown that we are dealing with each day. We will continue to make best of the situation that has been dealt to us with a positive approach and outlook. There are many moving parts that we working through but we are doing our best to maintain our day to day operations while keeping our focus on our students.
Thank you again for your support and understanding,
Brian Quam
Superintendent
After surveying the school with professionals, it has been determined that school will continue as scheduled; however, the gym will not be accessible for the remainder of the school year. Games and practices are still being rescheduled and reallocated to different spaces throughout the district. As soon as more information is available, we continue to communicate prior to school resuming on January 5, 2026.
As many of you are aware, Prairie Central Junior High experienced damage from heavy storms that went through the area on December 28, 2025. The majority of the damage was contained to the gymnasium. Based upon initial observations, the educational spaces at the Junior High were not damaged. There are going to be many steps to address the condition of the building in the next 48 to 72 hours that will help guide us to make the best decisions for our students and staff. We appreciate your patience as we begin to embark on this process. All practices and activities at the JH are canceled at this point until we are able to secure other gyms in the district. Our coaches will send this information to families once they are notified by our Athletic Directors.
We will be sure to communicate to our stakeholders as more information becomes readily accessible.
Brian Quam
Superintendent
Prairie Central School CUSD 8
🎢 And the Roller Coaster Champions are… 🎢
🥇 1st Place: The Bears — apparently powered by holiday spirit, candy canes, and pure determination.
🥈 2nd Place: Stranger Things — a very close second, proving the Upside Down has excellent engineering skills.
The Bears sleighed the competition! Congrats to both teams for turning cardboard, tape, and chaos into Christmas magic.
Dale Roach from the Chenoa branch awarded the following students: First place to Izabel Zimmerman; Second Place to McKinley Berkley; and Third Place to Nora Mueller. Pictured from left to right are Nora Mueller, Dale Roach, and Izabel Zimmerman. (McKinley Berkley was absent.)
Paul Augsburger from the Fairbury branch awarded the following students: First place to Jase Trainor; Second Place to Kelsey Kilgus, and Third place to Brylee Duncan. Pictured from left to right are Paul Augsburger, Jase Trainor, Kelsey Kilgus, and Brylee Duncan.
